The present invention relates to a ball drop apparatus and method. More specifically, the present invention relates to a ball drop apparatus and method for performing downhole operations.
In the downhole environment, ball drop activation devices are used in a variety of applications, including, but not limited to, disconnects, circulation valves, reversing valves, impacting or jarring tools, inflatable packers, etc. With a ball drop apparatus, a ball is dropped and/or pumped through a wellbore tubular to actuate a downhole tool or component. After the ball is seated on a landing seat, typically formed in a bore of a ball seat body, hydraulic pressure can be applied to operate the tool mechanism.
When a ball drop apparatus is utilized as a coiled tubing disconnect, for example, a ball drop disconnect is robust with few accidental disconnects and reliable when needed. A ball drop apparatus is not typically run with wireline disposed inside the coiled tubing. A large diameter ball, and resulting large diameter ball seat bore, is required to form an adequate passage for fluid flowing through the coiled tubing. A large diameter ball can become stuck in the bore of coiled tubing. If small diameter balls are used, as they are typically easier to circulate, the required small diameter ball landing seat can impede fluid flow, increasing the velocity of flow through the seat making it more susceptible to erosion of the ball seat.
There exists, therefore, a need for an improved ball drop tool-activation device.